Filmmaker Federgreen announces $250K contest for northern Ontario filmmakers

Morning North5:51Indiecan20K - competition for emerging filmmakers

A well established Canadian film director and producer wants to help emerging filmmakers get their first project off the ground. Avi Federgreen spoke with the CBC's Angela Gemmill about the Indiecan20K competition."Kiss and Cry" producer Avi Federgreen is offering mentorship and professional support for filmmakers valued at around $275,000 as part of his "IndieCan20K" contest.

First-time directors will have the opportunity to submit their ideas to the contest, which must be produced for a maximum of $20,000 and fully completed by April 30, 2018.

Sudbury's Music and Film in Motion will contribute $5,000 to the Northern Ontario winner, to be used towards the cost of film production.

Federgreen empathizes with first-time filmmakers in Canada, who he said don't receive enough support to get their stories onto the big screen.

"When I was a young filmmaker 25 years ago, I reached out to as many people as I could to teach me everything I needed to know about how to make a movie," Federgreen said. "I am who I am today in our industry because of all those people."

• Listen to Avi talk about the IndieCan 20K contest

Federgreen is currently in Sudbury, promoting his film "Kiss and Cry" at Cinefest. Despite the success, he understands the hardships that first-time filmmakers face.

"When I used to go to L.A., there would be tons of screenwriters sitting in the coffee shops saying they have the next great American script," Federgreen said. "But, their films never got made."

"Hopefully, the two people picked out of this initiative will have their films made and launch their career."

The winners of the contest will not only have support and donations from companies like Deluxe Toronto and Clairmont Camera, but the opportunity to network with industry professionals,

In 2013, Federgreen ran IndieCan10K, a similar contest which ended up seeing six films from six different provinces produced.  Those films had their theatrical releases in spring, and most are on the film festival circuit, said Federgreen.

Although the journey from script to screen is a long and difficult one, Federgreen thinks that having a professional network supporting and encouraging you can often make a significant difference.

"Sometimes we need somebody to believe in us, just one person, to give us that leg up," he said.

People interested in the contest can visit the Indie Can 20K Facebook page.

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